The Global Circulation Features of the Troposphere between the Equator and 40° N, based on a Single Day's Data

Abstract

The atmospheric circulation during a single day (December 12, 1957) between the equator and latitude 40° N has been investigated. Using the extensive IGY data the fields of the geopotential height and the two horizontal velocity components have been analyzed for ten isobaric levels and the zonal means of these variables computed. The Hadley circulation cell obtained for this single day agrees quite well with previous mean values computed for a month or a season. The results suggest that the mean circulation in tropical latitudes can be obtained with fair accuracy from analysis of a single day or of a period much shorter than those commonly used.